Jason Alexander Describes The Slow Beginnings and Rise of Seinfeld

[@OfficialHowieMandel]

Watch full episode here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3jah6acgZqriqcsi=oBrElvE_dqOAtAqe

[@mcfishyfirst253]

#shallowhalwantsagal

[@santiagocarreno5881]

Awful hosts; each time whoever is the guest, this time Jason Alexander tells a funny story, you only keep looking at them unimpressed and nonchalantly creating a cringe situation, great guests awful hosts

[@INFJparadox]

Jason is amazing! Seinfeld cast was so perfect! I still watch it everyday :)

[@andrewkratz226]

Same here!

[@johnjohnson3709]

I quote things from Seinfeld still today.

[@INFJparadox]

@@johnjohnson3709 😂 I'm always referencing a Seinfeld story line to people! I had George's answering machine message as my voicemail message not to long ago as well. People always thought they were calling wrong number 😂

[@surfwriter8461]

Yes, and the show was amazing though it had quite a few flubs. Jerry S was always the weakest member of the cast, in my view. He almost always had this little smirk on his face and even in stressful or aggravating situations he wouldn't really show much change in demeanor, most of the time. His character is kind of a dud, but the other three around him make the show work somehow, largely due to the great scripts and the other three actors being so good.

[@jefffunke252]

I remember being in college for season 3 trying to convince my roommates to watch it. Their favorite sitcom at the time was Married with Children

[@miamivlad]

Another classic in Married With Children!!!! 🙌

[@joshuablack8221]

Another classic 💯

[@dangxdc8348]

MWC....FOX flagship that never received a proper bow

[@kasession]

Loved Married With Children!!!! 🤣

[@noni44]

Well, they obviously had great taste. Both shows are legendary for good reasons.

[@RandoCommenter123]

Loved this show then and it's still timeless.

[@JohnBloggs-m8l]

I wouldn't call it timeless, it's very much tied to the 1990s and New York, a land where pay phones and vinyl records still exist but the exploration of human issues remains pertinent yes.

[@deanwilliams433]

Unlike a lot of 90's shows Seinfeld is still relevant today.

[@abe_froman8360]

The episode where Elaine dates the guy who hopes to end Roe v Wade one day is particularly prescient.

[@lupowins]

Cosby show still is and would do well if it wasn’t for Bill and his laced pudding pops.

[@surfwriter8461]

@@lupowins Nah. Cosby himself is toxic now because of his egregious sexual predator reputation.

[@thewebstylist]

So interesting it was being done in LA w such an NY feel

[@JohnBloggs-m8l]

If they had you fooled then they did their job, anyone whose seen the behind the scenes segments though knows that they built one street in LA on a studio backlot to represent downtown New York and to keep it fresh they just kept filming the street from different angles, as well as occasionally actually filming in New York (stand ins for Kramer running around New York only filmed from the back) for location shots and ofcourse reusing the establishing shot of Tom's Diner for Monk's Cafe through the entire 9 years.

[@noni44]

It’s kind of painful to know that it was filmed in L.A.

[@JohnBloggs-m8l]

@@noni44 Painful? Bit of an overreaction? Disappointing sure, Saddening? Perhaps, but painful? It was a different shooting location, they didn't betray anyone.

[@jamese1596]

Love you, George!

[@mariettadude]

George you’re not my Latex Salesman!!! BTW I still watch at least 5 days a week and laugh! Take care!

[@almighty1984]

TV Guide is one of the funniest stories, didn't know how important they were

[@JimmyMook]

George likes his chicken spicy

[@joycampi7233]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@thegoodthebadandthemediocr9269]

You're turning into Jimmy!

[@nochepatada]

Worlds are colliding

[@JimmyMook]

@@thegoodthebadandthemediocr9269 jimmy’s down!!!!

[@jamegumm]

Jason teaching Larry David how to do George on CYI was amazing

[@BBM716]

CYE***

[@lukasmacdonald7290]

Curb Your Inthusiasm

[@NoviJimB]

I was 28 and lived in the city (outside of Detroit, grew up in Detroit), and watched and played a lot of sports, so I was in that category he mentioned. I had seen a standup special by Jerry on cable, I forget what station, so when I saw that he had a TV show I started watching it. I liked it right off the bat. I'm not sure I knew anyone else who watched the show until people started talking about it - it isn't often that a show isn't very popular and manages to stay on the air for 2-3 years until it eventually does become popular. The funny thing is I resist things that are really popular and get talked about a lot - I hate hype! If the show would have been huge right off the bat and got hyped a lot I might not have been a fan. I never watched Friends until years after it was off the air, I 'hated' the show because of all the hype that it got right from the start.

[@shawnperry3815]

I love all 4 characters... to me they are all highly entertaining

[@dtz1000]

This and The It Crowd are the two best comedies.

[@thejeremymotley]

check out Father Ted if you haven't already

[@JohnBloggs-m8l]

You've got to be joking, the IT Crowd is terrible and shouldn't even be in the same paragraph as Seinfeld let alone the same sentence.

[@billw5189]

The original NBC order was for 4 Seinfeld Chronicles

[@vsboy2577]

Early seasons are actually the best

[@joeking6309]

Now Jason is pushing the WSOP app

[@adamdesanti6713]

This is fascinating stuff.

[@southsea8252]

The summer of George

[@edmundmclean2814]

This interview would have been clutch if Jason was sitting on a velvet couch

[@joycampi7233]

And wearing velvet!

[@the406seadonkey6]

Ensconced

[@MikeCee7]

I would think “Cheers” would be much higher rated than “Alf” in the early 1990s 1:02

[@JohnBloggs-m8l]

Yes the general impression given certainly by Larry was that he was deeply envious of the viewing figures Cheers was pulling in (Possibly how Ted Danson ended up on Curb all those years later) I don't recall anyone mentioning ALF being a threat but Jason was talking about 1989 when the pilot debuted not the 90s when Seinfeld and Cheers were regularly competing.

[@MikeCee7]

@@JohnBloggs-m8l I don’t think Seinfeld & Cheers were competing. I thought they were both on the same night I thought it was on “Must See TV” on Thursday night. (before friends came on a 1994 which got a boost from following Seinfeld) & in 1989 Cheers was still going very strong. (Especially up to its finale in 1992) Cheers was blockbuster hit since before the mid-1980s. There’s no way in 1989, that Alf was higher than Cheers.

[@JohnBloggs-m8l]

@@MikeCee7 Im not American so I cant argue points about American TV in the 90s nor can I be arsed looking up tv schedules for American tv in the 90s but I did make the effort to look up highest rated shows of 1989 (Wikipedia does have this information) which is the year Seinfeld Chronicles aired and the year Jason refers to and that's right ALF was not one of the big hitters of the time. Cheers was, Golden Girls was, even Funniest Home Videos was but not ALF.

[@MikeCee7]

@@JohnBloggs-m8l Yes, thank you. I am American, and I was in my 20s in the mid to late 1980s, and I’ve never watched a full episode of Alf. I might’ve flipped by it while TV channel surfing,, but I never watched it more than a minute. (it just looks stupid and corny to me). But I know there’s no way Alp ever reached the same level as the other TV shows you mentioned.

[@JohnBloggs-m8l]

@@MikeCee7 I did watch ALF cos I was a child in the 80s so that show was kind of aimed at my demographic. Me and a friend used to joke about the show at high school cos I'd impersonate ALF when he used to say "Where's the cat?" Because the big recurring joke of the show was that he was always trying to eat it. But that's about as far as my memories of ALF extend. It definitely wasn't as popular as Cheers though. Not that I really understand why Cheers was so popular either, I think that was more to do with the neverending saga of Sam Malone's sexual tension with first Diana and then Rebecca than because it was top rate comedy as such. It was considered a very cosy comedy though cos of the bar setting. You knew what you were getting. I remember the theme song more than anything that happened in the show though.

[@stagna1959]

to be fair season 1 was kinda slow and clumsy start. It became lot lively and better in season 2.( The Jacket being the top notch episode with only appearance of grumpy and dark Elaine`s father ) Season 3 was already comedy gold , library cop became timeless classic. It became even better from there until very end. Finale was disappointment for many fans, including me, but you cant have it all. Every sitcom has its failures, this was one of them .

[@NewFalconerRecords]

I've come around to the finale. If you watch it today, the parade of all the former characters is a delight. And anyway, what else were they supposed to do? The show was still on top of its game, it had to end in some way and was never going to be easy. Anyway, the cast reunited on Curb Your Enthusiasm and that to me was a way more satisfactory ending.

[@rossrobertson674]

How was Seinfeld shot in LA? Did they just build a New York looking set somewhere newr LA?

[@gusmc01]

Yes. Friends was also set in New York but shot in LA. Same with King of Queens.

[@tylertyler82]

You can tell it isn’t really New York, the set is way too clean and sterile (no homeless people and trash bags all over the streets )

[@hugolafhugolaf]

Most of the show takes place in apartments, offices, stores, etc...

[@hugolafhugolaf]

@@tylertyler82 Because LA is so much cleaner.

[@JohnBloggs-m8l]

You've just answered your own question, yes they built a New York looking street in an LA studio backlot and just kept filming it from different angles to keep it fresh. And used Tom's Diner as the establishing shot before all cafe scenes.

[@Tennessee1981]

Every host needs to just let go and allow their guest to speak, that's what the audience is here for

[@DC-ih8bv]

He looks the same as he did in the 90s

[@outlander234]

Yeah he aged very well.

[@jimsheppard3166]

Bosco

[@joycampi7233]

The code!

[@butcherboy2008]

He's kind of exaggerating what was popular. Alf? Cheers, Cosby and Roseanne.

[@Rob-eo5ql]

He should turn his hat to the back

[@joycampi7233]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@warlockCommitteeMeeting]

I subscribe but change music at end too loud and offputting.

[@deanalbertson7203]

Howie interrupts too much. Be quiet and let your guest talk.

[@xjcrossx]

Seriously!! I wasn't near my phone but was listening and literally yelled out Shuut uuup. And then every time he tell a funny part in the story it would show those two Dead face staring at him

[@Line49Design]

They all do

[@dtape]

JFC. Howie didn’t even let Jason answer Howie’s first question before asking another question. Terrible hosting. 🤦‍♂️

[@BBM716]

Stfu you 3 cry babies he barely cut him off 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 you sound pathetic LOL

[@nl5h]

you must have no friends

[@frankb5728]

Conan had a rough start too.

[@maryannscribner1922]

Why was Seinfeld filmed in la if it takes place in ny

[@hugolafhugolaf]

The studios are there. Seinfeld was not shot on location.

[@the406seadonkey6]

Why don't you understand this?

[@mouselink]

Howie = Dbag

[@surfwriter8461]

I think the show was a fantastic sitcom totally detached from the superficial crap that most sitcoms are, and most of the success was due to such creative scripts and the other three cast members with Seinfeld. I think Seinfeld's standup act was lame, but the show allowed him to serve a particular role in an ensemble cast with people much better at comedic acting than him. Jason is an excellent comedic actor. The more I see of Jerry S now, the more repellent I find him. He comes across as a narcissistic jerk.

[@videostoragechannel]

I agree. I think Jerry Seinfeld sees funny things and knows what is funny...he has that mind.... but doesn't have the personal ability to perform it well. The show was the perfect way for him to express it. His stand up has never been great but could be if performed by somebody else.

[@kaptkewl]

Listen more,talk less Howie.

[@thegr8rambino]

its weird not seeing howie mandel on that other show

[@georgecostanza4386]

I don't get it.

[@brettmasonmedia]

H has to be sick of talking about that show. How unoriginal to make so much of this interview about that show. And kudos to him for smiling and managing to be so enthusiastic while speaking about it for the billionth time. He is a true professional.

[@carmelitabeaverhausen739]

Same!

[@neilm2794]

No offense to Jason Alexander - but what else would people be interested in? He’s a Tony Award winner, but I don’t live in NY so I don’t care. Maybe the McDonalds commercials?

[@gordprentice2779]

No Howard likes money and boy he needs it big time now the crap he's doing now and getting Canadian dollars too l can't stand the guy

[@gordprentice2779]

What do u no not much l.can see

[@user-bl6ne3hc6n]

The pilot was awful, I'm shocked it got picked up, but dam, I'm so glad it did, the greatest sitcom of all time,

[@jamese1596]

Agreed. In fact, when I went back and watched the seasons from beginning to end, I had forgotten how un-funny and un-developed it was. I almost gave up, thinking I had remembered the show too fondly. It really isn’t until season 2.5 or 3 that it really gets into its groove.

[@user-bl6ne3hc6n]

@jamese1596 ya, that first 6 is tuff to watch, my opinion it doesn't get good until the Pony remark. ,

[@travistolsma7074]

Oh ya. Just like south park, the first 5 seasons are almost unwatchable. But when it gets good, it really gets good.

[@JohnBloggs-m8l]

People who dismiss the first 2 seasons show they don't get why the show was good in the first place. It was an unconventional sitcom that didn't rely on fucking line gag line gag repetition, if you only take notice at season 3 then you're a moron. And the pilot really wasn't that bad. All the issues of social etiquette are still being dealt with.

[@user-bl6ne3hc6n]

@user-et6pj4db9s Absolutely, do not miss the first season it was 6 episodes, the episode that got them going was the poney remark, but I just watched the pilot again a month ago and dam, it wasn't good, but don't miss the pilot because the the finale and pilot are together in a way, Great show,

[@gordprentice2779]

I know what you mean He talks too much I know that because l went too School with him and l talk more then he does that's why he's up there and lm not l guess His mum was a nice lady He did a nice add on too her home too He lived there too she wouldn't move out of the house lm North York Toronto

[@steveeuphrates-river7342]

The first four episodes were not very good.

[@hooligan2005]

Howie has a cute daughter

[@hugolafhugolaf]

Is she named Stuff? Because the show is called Howie Mandel does Stuff, and I'd like to do Stuff too.

[@hooligan2005]

@@hugolafhugolaf good question!!!!

[@wellsborie6897]

Don't women like this show

[@lanemeyer9350]

Early Seinfeld is awful. They didn’t hit their stride until 1997 IMO

[@lupowins]

Awful take.

[@themeat5053]

I never liked the show because they portrayed a bunch of whiney upscale people who came from my city. Plus, Elaine was always eating with her mouth open. Ma, che schifo!

[@mikewhite4560]

Thanks for sharing, Sincerely Jerry Seinfeld 😊

[@Studentofgosset]

That's probably why they only made 9 seasons, without you there really was no point going on

[@justinhicks306]

Jason Alexander stinks

[@acb9896]

Smells like about $250 mil. Hows things at Bass Pro Shop? I hear youre up for assistant lead stock boy.

[@jmsmzrz]

Jason was my least favorite 😝

[@Roddheel-ih5ki]

What a truly awful show that was

[@mikewhite4560]

Agreeded. Always HATED HOWIE 😅

[@scottgunvaldsonmusic4116]

Best sitcom in history.